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1. Rusalka is a fairy tale about a magical water nymph—no verismo here!—but the emotions of the characters still grip us. What characters might you identify with?
2. Do you see social, political, or moral allegories in Rusalka? For example, is Rusalka’s silence a symbol for all women, or is it simply a fairy-tale hardship and sacrifice? Is there some lesson intended about marrying one’s own kind or staying within one’s station? What elements of the story support or negate that intention?
3. Consider our “Mermaid Tales” article. Dvořák and Kvapil have selected and combined various elements into one plot. If you were creating a mermaid story from available elements, which would you choose, and how would your story go? What additional elements would you invent?
4. Don Giovanni has Leporello. Hoffmann has Nicklausse. Do any characters serve Rusalka as a confidante at any points in the opera? How might a full-time confidante affect Rusalka?
5. What are the special challenges in creating an opera about a character who remains mute in many scenes? How do Dvořák and Kvapil meet those challenges? How would you?
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